With so many established superhero franchises now in theaters or on streaming, there aren't too many big casting possibilities to get excited about. The DCU's Batman and the post-Avengers: Secret Wars X-Men are the big ones, as is Man of Tomorrow's Brainiac.
According to scooper @MyTimeToShineH, "[A] casting decision for Brainiac is coming any day now." That could mean the news will hit the trades before the week is over, though we're sure James Gunn won't want it to overshadow the first Supergirl trailer.
Several names have been rumoured for the role of Brainiac since we first learned that the filmmaker is looking to add one of Superman's most iconic, deadliest villains to Man of Tomorrow. Here's a reminder:
Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista is a former WWE Champion who wrestled as Batista until retiring in 2019. He transitioned into acting several years before that, with Guardians of the Galaxy's Drax his most iconic role. Other noteworthy projects include Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Knock at the Cabin, and The Killer's Game.
Matt Smith
From 2010 to 2013, Matt Smith portrayed the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who, earning a BAFTA nomination. In 2016, he played Prince Philip in Netflix's The Crown, receiving a Primetime Emmy nomination. Since 2022, he's played Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon and played the lead villain, Milo, in Morbius.
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell rose to prominence in the 1990s, with his breakthrough coming with The Green Mile and Galaxy Quest. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and counts Iron Man 2 and The Bad Guys franchise among his blockbuster credits.
Claes Bang
After working extensively in Danish theatre and television, Claes Bang's international breakthrough came in 2017 as Christian in Ruben Östlund’s The Square. He later played Dracula in the BBC series of the same name, and appeared in The Affair, The Northman, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, and Bad Sisters.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Man of Tomorrow stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag, Sr.
Several actors and characters are rumoured to appear, including Aaron Pierre's John Stewart/Green Lantern and John Cena's Peacemaker. Recent reports have suggested Gunn is looking to cast the DCU's Wonder Woman, and while the filmmaker has remained silent on that, he did recently confirm that Steve Trevor won't appear in the Superman sequel.
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.